1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pickup trucks, and more particularly to liners for pickup truck beds.
2. Description of Related Art
Pickup trucks are considered by many to be particularly desirable and useful because the bed can be used to carry heavy or cumbersome loads and transport materials which may damage other vehicles. The relatively open structure of pickup truck beds also allows bulky or extremely long objects to be carried by placing a portion of the object within the bed and allowing the object to extend beyond the bed, frequently resting on the top of the sidewalls or tailgate. Further, pickups are particularly convenient because the bed is readily accessible and can, in many instances, be loaded and unloaded directly over the side walls of the bed.
However, the use of pickup trucks in this manner frequently results in damage to the truck bed. For example, during transport the load may shift and dent or mar the interior or top of the bed. Similarly, when loading an object over the sidewalls or tailgate, the object may inadvertently strike the exterior of the truck bed resulting in unsightly marring of the truck bed.
To reduce truck bed damage, bed liners which cover the bottom and the interior walls of the bed have been used. However, these liners typically provide only minimal protection to the top surfaces of the walls and tailgate and often provide virtually no protection to the exterior surfaces of the walls and tailgate.